Servant
by MuSiC HaTs
Summary: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."- John 15:13
1. Servant

_It's me, with another oneshot! I'm revisiting the song, 'Servant of Evil' by Len Kagamine. _

_I never like to use the same plot twice, but for this, I think I can make an exeption..._

_Please enjoy!_

**_I edited a few things and added some stuff. I'm sure you won't notice unless you've read this before, but it's nice to know, yeah? *wiggles fingers* Go ahead, go ahead; read on~_**

* * *

**You are my princess  
I am only your servant  
We are twins that destiny has played a cruel jest on  
Even if the whole world turns against you  
I'll become the only evil that is on your side  
**-X-

**Servant**

**-X-**

**Our fates were decided on the day that we came  
Bells of the church tolling their blessings the same**

**-X-**

_June 20th_

Breathless anticipation.

That was the only way to describe the feeling hanging in the air, the heavy feeling making the people quiver like the taut string of a bow.

Soon, they were fidgeting, clenching their hands restlessly as they stared up at the balcony, waiting for some sign. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of waiting, the bell of the church began to ring, echoing through the hidden courtyard deep in the labyrinth that was the castle. Seconds after the bells began to ring, a door opened, and a man walked out, carrying two bundles in his arms. As soon as they were spotted, the crowd began to clap and cheer, their euphoria echoing throughout the town.

The man beamed, holding the two tiny bodies closely, "My people, we have now welcomed two new lives into this world. I now introduce your future rulers, Edward and Alice Mason. Twins!"

The blankets covering their faces were removed, and the crowd's applause grew louder, finally able to see the faces of the two infants. Two tiny, peaceful faces slept on, oblivious, identical auburn hair glowing like fire in the sunlight. One of them-the girl-turned in the man's arms, her eyes opening slightly, flashes of groggy jade flashing at them before her eyes slowly slid closed. The boy slumbered on, turning into the man's chest, his hold on his sister's hand tightening slightly.

It was joyous; a joyous day indeed.

**-X-**

_Five Years Later_

"Uncle Carlisle, is Mommy and Daddy gonna be okay?"

Carlisle looked down at the sound of the tiny lisping voice, his golden eyes sad as he stared into the solemn green eyes of Edward. Nodding, he gave him a tight smile, "yes, Edward. Your mother and father are going to be fine now; they're in a…a much better place now."

Edward nodded gravely, his large eyes staring at him, probing, piercing, reading his every thought; it made Carlisle eventually look away.

"Don' worry, Edward!" clutching onto his hand, Alice smiled at her younger brother, "mommy and daddy are gonna be fine, okay?" Edward hesitantly nodded, and smiled shyly at his sister, who gave him such a large grin in return that he could see the gap of her lost front tooth.

Staring at the duo, Carlisle slowly turned away, cringing slightly; he couldn't believe he was going to do this…why does this have to happen to them now, of all times, after the death of their parents? The guilt was tearing him apart at what he was about to do.

"Ah…Carlisle!" That voice, so bright and happy and _wrong_ turned his stomach, his heart sinking like a stone. His shoulders drooped and he sighed, running a hand through his silvery blonde hair, "Aro…you're here…" He turned slightly to look at the man coming towards them, his voice heavy with resignation.

The man-Aro-had long hair as dark as night, tied into a ponytail at the base of his skull. His eyes were kind, a dark brown with a dark red tinge to it, and crinkled at the corners every time he smiled. He clapped his hands together, "I've come for the boy now!" he said brightly, his voice a mere sigh, carried on with the wind, "Marcus and I will take good care of him, we promise."

Edward's gaze pierced the back of his head, lightning arcing across his skull, and Carlisle winced, pressing a hand to his heart, trying to smother the guilt.

"I didn't want to do this," he said softly, "but the council was adamant about it; Edward has to go, while they prepare Alice to take the throne in their parents' place…"

Shaking his head, he kneeled down, and placed his hands on Edward's shoulders, "Edward," he said softly, "this is my friend Aro, and he's going to take you away for a little bit. But you'll come home soon, I promise."

Edward's bottom lip poked out, and his lip trembled, eyes shining with unshed, angry tears, "you're sending me away," he said, his voice trembling, "I don't wanna go away! I wanna stay here, with you! I wanna stay with Alice!" Alice, who had fallen silent once Aro appeared, spoke up once again, "I don't wan' Edward to leave, Uncle! Edward's gonna stay, because I said so!"

To emphasize her point, she stomped her tiny foot onto the ground, her tiny hands grabbing handfuls of her black dress. Carlisle shook her head, and opened his mouth to say something, but Aro interrupted him, stepping forward, "Don't worry, little Alice! Edward will be home again before you know it!"

**-X-**

**Our elders were selfish for some reasons  
Thus we grew apart with the passing seasons  
-X-**

With that, he quickly bent down and scooped Edward up into his arms, breaking the tight hold Edward had on Alice's hand.

_"No!"_ that sent Edward into a fit and he began to kick and scream, angry tears sliding down his face, "I don't wanna go! I don't wanna! Uncle! Alice! _Alice!_"

Alice began to cry too, and she ran forward, arms outstretched, reaching for her brother, "give him back, mister, _give him back!_ Uncle, I don' want Edward to leave! No!" Carlisle grabbed her and held her to him tightly, wiping away the fat tears that were falling down her face, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" he whispered, over and over and over. But it would not calm her.

"Edward!" she sobbed, still reaching for him, "If you don't come back home, I'll never share my dessert with you again!"

"I'll come back!" he wailed, "I promise, Alice! I'll come back!"

He was still struggling, straining, trying so hard to get back to his sister, but it was no use, and soon he was in the carriage, and it began to roll away. Alice broke free of her uncle's hold and raced forward, trying to catch the carriage that was rapidly getting away from her. Soon, it was going farther, and father away, "Edward!" she bawled, "you better come back to me! I mean it!"

When the carriage vanished in the horizon, Alice collapsed to the ground in a new fit of tears, her tiny hands covering her wet face.

**-X-**

_Eight years later…_

Sunlight streamed through the maze of flowers, as a young girl strode past the bushes, her small hand running lightly over the leaves. A small smile was on her face as she hummed to herself, winding a lock of hair around her finger.

This was Alice Mason, eight years later, and today, she was thirteen years old.

She knew what the day would detail; boring meetings, dreary parties, and empty congratulations. Dull, dull, dull, dull, dull….But there was one thing, one pinpoint of light in her dark prediction: A letter. A letter from Edward. At the thought of her lost twin, loneliness filled her that made her ache something fierce.

She missed her twin so much it almost killed her, the last eight years dragging on at an unbearably slow pace. It had gotten so bad, that some days she couldn't bear to look in the mirror, not seeing her face, but the face of her twin. One day, she couldn't take it, and she dyed her hair. Now, instead of fiery copper locks, she had jet black hair that framed her face in even layers.

At least there was a minor difference; now looking in the mirror wasn't so bad. Heaving a sigh, Alice bit the inside of her cheek, and plucked a rose off the vine; the shade of the petals as red as the gown she wore. Tucking the flower behind her ear, she moved forward and sat down on the bench at the center of the garden, rearranging her skirts so that they fell properly.

Leaning back onto the palms of her hands, Alice looked up into the sky, watching the clouds slowly drift by. _"Happy Birthday to you," _she sang quietly, "_Happy Birthday to you…Happy Birthday Edward and Alice…Happy Birthday to you…"_

Stroking the petals of the flower behind her ear, Alice continued to sing softly to herself until she heard the rustling of footsteps coming towards her. "Stop!" she barked, her voice sharp, "who dares disturb me? Who's there?"

All was silent, and then someone spoke, his voice wary, "My Lady, I've brought someone to see you. It's-"

Alice cut them off, sneering, "I don't _care_ who it is. Send them away! Leave me alone for once!" She heard no response and settled back, confident that she got her way, and her peace, once again.

But she was wrong.

Something fell onto her lap, and she was surrounded with the scent of flowers. Eyes wide, she touched the delicate petals, her hand shaking slightly.

Sunflowers; they didn't grow sunflowers here.

'_There are millions of sunflowers here, Alice! It's amazing! I promise that I'll give you some when I come home!' _

"Alice…you changed your hair…"

Her heart stuttered, and then sped into overdrive, tears quickly filling her eyes, blurring her vision.

**-X-**

**If every creature alive hates you  
I'll be there waiting, always true**

**-X-**

Blinking rapidly, she turned, and looked into a face that she hadn't seen for eight years.

He still looked just like her, the baby fat in his face starting to fade slightly, his eyes greener and brighter than she remembered. His hair had grown out slightly, and was in a small ponytail at the back of his neck. Alice was sure that if she took the hair tie out, his hair would be the same length as hers.

Her mouth dropped open slightly, and she grasped the sunflowers tightly, the trembling in her hands growing stronger. "E-E-Ed-Edwa-" She couldn't get his name out, the air stuck in her throat. Noticing her struggle, he smiled down at her and moved until he was standing in front of her.

Still smiling, he took his right arm and crossed it over his chest, kneeling down in front of her. Grabbing her hand, he kissed the back of her hand before turning her wrist and placing something cool in her palm. Opening her hand, she stared at the ring he placed in her palm; the exact same ring that she had on her own finger.

The ring that ranked them as loyalty.

Removing that only meant that…She looked at him, confused, and Edward cocked his head, still smiling at her. "My Lady…I've come back. Just like I promised." His smile widened as he continued, "will you still share your dessert with me?"

That proved to be the breaking point for her, and Alice's tears slid down her face, a hysterical sound between a sob and a laugh bursting from her chest. She hopped off her seat and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him as tight as she could, her cries, mixed with laughter, echoing through the garden.

**-X-**

**So please keep smiling like you always do  
None that keeps you laughing as myself, had I knew!  
-X-**

**You are my princess  
I am only your servant  
We are twins that destiny has played a cruel jest on  
Even if the whole world turns against you  
I'll become the only evil that is on your side **

**-X-**

_Two months later_

It was hot. Unbearably hot. The air seemed to ripple with the heat.

To try and cool off, Edward and Alice were taking a secret trip to the ocean. Holding Edward's hand tightly, Alice swiped a hand across her forehead, removing the sweat that gathered there. She was dressed in a pair of clothes that Edward gave her; a pair of pants, a loose vest, and a cap to hide her face. The past two months had been the happiest of her life, hands down; she'd forgotten just how much fun she'd had with her brother when he was here. She'd never take it for granted again.

Grinning, she hummed softly, swinging their joined hands together. Edward looked over at her and chuckled at her antics. "We'll be there in a little bit," he said, almost feeling the cool sea breeze brush his face, "so just wait a little longer, okay?"

Alice sighed and let go of his hand, lacing her fingers behind her back, "you're so slow, Edward! Slow, slow, slow!" she sang the word at him, and turned on her heel, quickly merging and disappearing into the crowd.

**-X-**

**I came to visit a beautiful country  
-X-**

Rolling his eyes, Edward moved forward, preparing for a long search for his sister, "Alice…" he grumbled. Brows wrinkling with irritation, Edward scanned the crowd, trying to find the familiar black cap he gave her. A few minutes of wandering brought…nothing. And more wandering. And even more wandering…

He still couldn't find her.

Now it was worry that creased his brow, and his searching began to grow frantic as he stumbled through the crowd. His speed was increasing, and he was ready to call her name, when he ran into something soft, a blue-green color momentarily covering his vision.

He fell to the ground with a thud, and the person he bumped into fell too, a soft 'oof!' reaching his ears. Shaking his head, Edward opened his eyes, prepared to apologize, to ask if the person was okay…And found himself staring into the darkest, brownest eyes he'd ever seen.

**-X-**

**There, a girl of green is what I happened to see  
-X-**

For a minute, he was speechless, unable to look away from those _eyes…_

Then a voice, "Oh my goodness! Are-are you okay?"

Shaking his head, he found himself staring at a girl, her long chestnut hair slightly mussed from their impact, her cheeks crimson. She looked around his age, and she was wearing a sea green dress, stained slightly with dust. Quick as lightning, Edward stood up, holding out a hand to help the girl up, his face burning with mortification. "I-I'm sorry! I was-I wasn't looking where I-are you-you're not hurt, are you?"

The girl smiled at him slightly, and grabbed his hand, letting him pull her up onto her feet. As soon as she grabbed his hand, a kind of spark went through them, electricity arcing between their palms. He jumped slightly at the feeling, and the color in her cheeks deepened. "I'm-ah….I'm Isabella. But please, call me Bella. What-what's your name?" Edward slowly pulled his hand back, wiggling his fingers to get rid of the tingling in his fingers, "I'm…I'm Edward. I'm sorry about running into you…I'm looking for someone."

"Well…I'll help you, okay? Who are you looking for?"

"My…my sister."

With that said, the two of them moved onward, nothing but silence between them. Finally, Edward spoke, "what were you going to do before I, er, ran into you?" Bella shrugged, "Ah, I'm just going to meet my brother and my cousin. We're probably going to go to the beach or something…"

At the thought of her being at the beach, his heart quivered, "really?" he said, "my sister and I were on our way to the beach when I lost her." Bella looked over at him, her eyes wide; "really? How lucky!" she smiled at him, "well, when we find your sister, maybe we can go together!" Edward stared at her smile, dazzled, unable to give a response.

**-X-**

**She was kind with a bright smile and grace  
-X-**

In the corner of his eye, he saw something black standing near the flower stand; it was Alice. Edward's heart swelled with relief; he found her. He finally found her. Thank goodness. Just as he noticed Alice, Bella cried out, "ah! There they are! I'll go see them now, okay? Then we'll go find your sister and we can go to the beach!"

Tossing another smile his way, Bella turned and ran to the flower stand. As soon as she did, he saw Alice's shoulders stiffen, her eyes widen and then narrow, dark with something he didn't want to identify; the intent in her expression made him nervous. Shaking the feeling off, he ran forward, calling out his sister's name, "Alice! Alice, there you are!"

When he reached her side, he grasped Alice's hand, squeezing it tightly, "Don't wander off like that again, please! You scared me to death!" Alice didn't say anything, and gripped his hand tightly in return, grinding her teeth. "I'm sorry," she said stiffly, "I won't wander off anymore." Edward pressed his lips together in concern, and pulled her forward, "C'mon, Alice! Let's go to the beach now. I met someone along the way, and I invited them to co-"

"No."

Alice's voice was sharp, ice cold steel, "I don't want to go to the beach anymore. I want to go home. Now." Her voice held no room for argument, and Edward's shoulders slumped slightly, but then he closed his eyes and smiled, "okay, Alice. We'll go home. We'll go home." As they made their way back to the castle, Edward looked back and stared at Bella, who was looking around for them, confused.

**-X-**

**Her image from my mind I could not efface**

**-X-**

**However if my princess wishes her gone  
This order will not be something long drawn**

**-X-**

_"Laurent."_

"Oui, Mademoiselle._" _

_Edward stood silently at the window, both he and Laurent, the Minister, watching Alice's movements as she prowled around her sitting room. Crossing her arms, Alice finally turned around, facing them, her eyes narrowed. Though she was smaller than the two of them, she radiated power, control; ready to move her pawns forward in this chess game. "…That village," she said softly, and Edward felt icy fingers trailing down his neck, "I…want it gone. Completely. I want to see it burned to the ground."_

_As she spoke, her eyes found Edward's, and he could practically hear her voice in his mind, '_Every wish. You promised me this. You would do anything I asked.' _The cold fingers of dread plunged into his chest, tightly squeezing his chest until he felt like he couldn't breathe. _

_Laurent's shoulders tensed slightly, and the corners of his eyes tightened; the only signs of his distress, his disapproval…But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, and both of them bowed deeply in submission, "yes. Yes, My Lady."_

**-X-**

Bella couldn't think.

Eyes wide, she stared at the flames that stretched across the horizon, destroying her home. Faintly, in the corner of her mind, Bella wondered if maybe, just maybe, that this was all just a horribly bad dream, that she didn't just lose her father and her cousin and her friends…Maybe she was going to wake up any minute now, Emmett telling her that they were going to the beach again because it was so hot.

But time passed and the flames grew, and houses collapsed and it finally, finally hit her that _none of this was a dream. This was real._

She wanted to cry, but she felt like something scooped out her insides; she felt so empty, unable to scrape up the proper emotion to mourn her lost home.

"Bella."

Her ears perked up at the sound of her name, and she slowly turned, staring as Edward stepped out of the shadows of the trees, pulling the hood of his cloak away from his face. She felt a small twinge of relief at seeing a familiar face, and she gave him a small smile, her lips trembling from the effort.

"Edward," she said softly, her voice shaking, "I thought I'd never see you again…I'm glad that you're safe, at least..." Turning away from him, she stared back at the blaze, the sky orange from the glow of the fires. "My home is gone," she said brokenly, her voice beginning to shake, "my father, Jasper, Emmett…everyone. Everyone is gone. Everything…"

Her voice broke, and Bella turned back towards Edward, her gaze desperate, "I don't know what to do! What do I…What should I…?" Edward said nothing, and looked down at the ground, his hand trembling as he pulled out the dagger, his fingers running over the engravings on the handle.

When she saw the knife, Bella fell silent, his eyes growing wide once again, "E…E-Edward…? Wh-what…?" The betrayal in her voice made him flinch slightly, and he squeezed his eyes shut, holding the dagger tightly. "Bella…" his voice broke, and he swallowed, trying to talk past the lump in his throat, "Bella, I'm so sorry. I-I don't want-but I have to…I'm…"

Her dark eyes slid from the dagger to meet his own, and he flinched at the emptiness that he saw there "If I could've met you some other way, _any_ other way…"

She saw the regret, that pain in his eyes, and she smiled, finally able to cry.

**-X-**

'_I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm-'_

Edward dug his nails into his palms and pushed onward, sprinting out of the burned remains of the tiny village. Tears streamed down his face, and a harsh sob came between each heaving breath.

His lungs burned, his legs ached, but he would not stop running; he'd never stop running until the feeling of her blood came off his hands.

Finally, he couldn't take it, and he stumbled to a stop, falling to his knees. The grief he felt was tearing him apart, the weight of it enough for two people. But he was only one, and his other half felt not a shred of guilt. So for hours, he sat there and screamed, pressing his bloodstained hands to his tear-stained face, doing all of the mourning that he knew Alice would never, ever do.

**-X-**

**Why? The tears won't stop...**

**-X-**

**You are my princess  
I am only your servant  
We are twins that destiny has forced suffering on  
-X-**

She was sleeping in the garden.

The innocence, the relaxation, the utter _purity_ of her expression almost felt like a lie to him, a sick ruse. But he knew it wasn't and it never would be, because it was Alice and he knew that she was still the girl that he left when he was five, all those years ago. Edward smiled, and sat near her, grabbing her hand; it was warm from bathing in the glow of the sun. At his touch, Alice sighed softly, and stirred, opening her eyes slightly. When she saw it was him, her eyes widened a fraction, before she gently squeezed his hand, beaming. "What time is it?" she sighed, rolling onto her side.

Edward ran his thumb over her skin, "it's three o'clock, Alice," he said quietly, " time for the snack. I made brioche today, for your tea."

**-X-**

**"Today brioche will be served with your tea"  
-X-**

Alice's eyes brightened at the mention of brioche; out of all of her servants, Edward could make brioche the best. "Really? Brioche? That's wonderful! Thank you, Edward!" The look on her face was radiant, as she sat up, giggling when blades of grass that got stuck in her hair fell onto her lap.

Reaching out, he tenderly brushed away the remaining grass that stayed tangled in her black locks. "Let's go, My Lady," he said softly, pulling her up, "before your tea gets cold."

"Okay!"

**-X-**

**And you laugh, laugh so innocently**

**-X-**

_"Ro-Rose…Rosalie!"_

_A woman looked up at the voice, her blue eyes widening when her brother, Jasper, stumbled inside, his face wet with tears. Quick as lightning, she jumped up, moving over to him, "Jazz? What's wrong? What happened?" Jasper shook his head wildly, and Rosalie cupped his face in her hands, forcing him to stop his shaking and look at her. "Jasper," she said slowly, forcefully, "tell me. Tell me what's wrong." _

_His shoulders shuddered with a sob before he finally spoke, "the village," he gasped, "Bella, Emmett, Uncle Charlie…everyone…everyone was gone. Gone!" _

_His tears increased as he continued, "the entire town was burned! Burned to the ground! There was nothing left but _ashes_! By the time I-I got there, the-the army was leaving!" His red-rimmed eyes narrowed, the blue turning into dark storm clouds, "Rose…Rose, it was _her_ army." Her shoulders stiffened; there was no need to explain who _she_ was. She already knew…_

Cold green, chips of malachite stared at her, not a shred of compassion to be found. Cupping her cheek in her palm, Alice smiled, though there was no kindness behind it, "why should I help you? You look just fine to me…"

_Her hands shook in anger at the mere memory of it._

"_She has gone too far," she said coldly, and the temperature in the room dropped, "I will not let her get away with this. This…this was the final straw!" _

_Clapping her hand on Jasper's shoulder, she stared into his eyes, "we will get her; she will be stopped. Soon."_

**-X-**

**Soon the people will come to punish us  
While we deserve it, you have no need to fuss**

**-X-**

"Alice…I want you to go take a bath now, okay? And wash your hair, too, please. Remove that dye. It's important."

Alice looked at Edward, confused, but stood up and slowly moved towards the bathroom. Once the door to the bathroom clicked shut, Edward let the drapes fall closed, covering the large crowd outside, practically roaring for the princess' death.

For Alice's death.

He could not let that happen; he _would not let that happen._ Glaring at the window, Edward's jaw clenched in determination, his decision made; he knew what he had to do now. Reaching up, Edward grabbed onto his hair-tie and tugged sharply, stepping out of the shadows, letting his hair-now dyed jet black-fall free around his head.

**-X-**

**I will, to the end, fight who they send...  
-X-**

When Alice finally left the bathroom, rubbing a towel over her now-auburn hair, she let the towel slip through her numb hands from the shock of what she saw.

She was staring…at _herself._ The same hair dyed the same color, as back as night, wearing her midnight blue gown.

Her reflection stared back at her gravely, holding a bundle of clothes; Edward's clothes.

Her mouth dropped open in shock, "E-Edward? Wh-what…what're you-" She wasn't able to finish the question, as Edward rushed at her, shoving the clothes in her arms. "Alice," he whispered frantically, "I need you to put on my clothes. Now! Once you do that, you have to go." She looked at the clothes, then back at Edward, her eyes wide.

His breath left him in a sharp burst, and Edward stepped closer, using his hair-tie to tie her hair back into the ponytail he always wore. "If…if I do this, then…then they won't kill you." His face was grave, "If I do this, you won't die."

The clothes fell from Alice's hands, as she looked at Edward in shock, "…No…" she breathed, "N-no, no, no! Edward, you-you _can't!_ It-it won't-I won't-"

The smile he gave her made her fall silent, "It'll be okay! No one will see the difference! We're twins!" By now, tears had begun to fall, and Alice shook her head rapidly, even though she was pulling on his shirt, tugging on his pants, buttoning up the vest.

Edward smiled, and pulled Alice to her feet, smoothing the strands of hair sticking up from the ponytail. "It'll be fine, Alice" he whispered, lacing their fingers together, pressing his forehead against hers, "It won't be so bad…I just want you to be safe…safe…"

"But that doesn't mean this has to happen," she wailed, "We could just run, Edward! I don't want you to get taken away from me! Not again! Not for me!"

Edward wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him tightly, pressing his cheek against her hair. Alice dug her hands into the folds of the dress, clinging tightly, determined not to let him go.

"These past months," he whispered, his voice sounding just like hers, "have been the happiest of my life. I'm so glad I was able to see you again."

He took a step back, and pressed his lips against Alice's forehead, prying her hands off of him, "Be safe," he whispered. Gripping her wrists, Edward roughly shoved Alice into the open wardrobe, just as the door to the room slammed open, and people rushed in, roughly grabbing Edward, pinning him down.

**-X-**

**I am the princess  
You became a criminal  
We are twins that destiny chooses to inflict pain**

**-X-**

Alice clasped her hands over her heart, listening to the scuffle going on outside. This…this wasn't right; she would not let her brother get hurt! She would not allow this! They would obey her; she was their ruler! Squaring her shoulders in determination, she reached out, ready to push the doors of the wardrobe open-

"_Stop!"_

Her hand froze, just inches away from the door, as she listened to Edward's sharp voice; it was as though he knew exactly what she was planning to do; like he read her mind. Through the thin crack between the doors, she saw Edward look at her, and then smile, before his arms were painfully bent behind him, and he was shoved out of the room.

**-X-**

**If all the world believes that you are evil  
Then I am evil as well, because I share your blood**

**-X-**

**Once upon a time, at another place**

**There was an evil kingdom no person dared to face**

**-X-**

Edward wrapped his arms around himself as he sat in his cold prison cell, tucking the faded grey prison gown they gave him under his knees. Tugging on his now-black hair, he stared up at the corner of the cell, where a small moth struggled to get out of the web in the corner, the large spider slowly advancing towards it. Still looking at the somewhat macabre sight, he smiled, as he thought of Alice, wandering somewhere…maybe to the beach. It didn't matter, as long as she was anywhere but here.

As long as she was safe.

His lips trembled, and a single, frightened tear slipped down his face, but he quickly wiped it away.

**-X-**

**The only person who had any say  
Was my adorable sister who remains free to this day  
-X-**

Alice tugged the hood of her cloak over her face, making sure she was hidden as she moved through the crowd, which was alive with anticipation. But, instead of the anticipation of her arrival, like many years ago, it was the anticipation of her immediate disposal. Biting her lip, Alice held her breath, and slowly made her way to the front of the crowd, as close as she could possibly get.

**-X-**

**If every creature alive hates you  
**_-At last, the time of the ending has come-_

**I'll be there waiting, always true  
**_-As the bell that announces it starts to ring-_

**-X-**

Edward closed his eyes, taking deep breaths as he slowly moved up the stairs, trying not to stare at the giant blade, looming high in the air.

Far away, at the castle, the bell began to ring, finally announcing the end of it all; it was three o'clock.

As he began to kneel before the wooden block, Alice had finally shoved her way up front-she was so close now, close enough that she felt like she could reach out and _touch him_. When she saw Edward, her mouth dropped open, her eyes instantly filling with tears as her heart dropped to the ground. "No…" she whispered. She pressed a hand to her mouth, shaking her head, her tears spilling over, "No…no!" she cried, her voice clogged with her anguish.

"Edward…"

At the sound of his name, he opened his eyes, and looked down, straight into Alice's horror filled gaze. His lips curved into a smile, and he raised his handcuffed hands, pressing a finger to his lips. '_It'll be okay,'_ he told her silently, '_everything will be fine. Be safe.'_ Alice let out a low cry, a wounded moan, '_don't,' _she mouthed, '_please…I love you…I'll miss you!'_ His smile became somewhat strained, and a few tears spilled down, as he placed his head against the wooden block.

"So,_ princess,_" the executioner spoke, the last word spat at Edward like it was a curse word, "any last words…?"

Alice looked down at her shaking hands, biting her lip so hard she almost broke the skin. Still crying, she closed her eyes, taking in a deep, shaking breath. The least she could do…so he could see…one last time…

Pulling her cloak closer to her, pressing her fists to her pounding heart, she looked back up at Edward and gave him one last warm, tearful, heartfelt smile.

**-X-**

**So please keep smiling like you always do  
**_-Without looking to the faces of the crowd-_

**None that keeps you laughing as myself, had I knew!  
**_-You only said what I have always said…-_

**-X-**

Edward's eyes found Alice's for the last time, and while his eyes widened at the smile, new tears clinging to his lashes, he gave the crowd a smile so cold, it made Alice shiver. "Oh…" he practically purred, his eyes never leaving hers, "it's time for the snack..."

With a quick jerk, the executioner pulled the lever, and the blade made its quick descent.

'_Swish!'_

'_Thunk!'_

She closed her eyes. But she could still hear, still _feel._ The soft thud, the light dripping, the slight spatter of new warmth, a _different _warmth, and Alice's sobs ripped out of her when she knew that some of Edward's blood landed on her face.

As the crowd cheered, uplifted by their freedom, Alice staggered through the crowd, the weight of her loss crushing her.

**-X-**

**You are my princess  
I am only your servant  
We are twins that destiny has played a cruel jest on  
-X-**

Alice's weeping grew louder and louder the farther away she got from what used to be her home.

Now…now…she had nothing.

All her life, even when Edward was away, Alice was comforted by the multiple invisible strings that tied the two of them together, stronger than steel. Even though he was so far, she always knew that he was still in reach, those millions of strings binding him to her irrevocably. But now, now that he was in a place where she could never follow, it was as though the strings, the strong, unbreakable strings that were between them had been cut, and she now felt lonelier than ever before, a gaping, bleeding hole punched through her chest.

**-X-**

**Even if the whole world turns against you**

**I'll become the only evil that is on your side  
-X-**

Taking deep, shuddering breaths, Alice reached into her cloak, blindly searching, and wrapped her fingers around a cool, tiny bottle. Pulling it from her cloak, she gripped the bottle tightly between her hands and pressed the cool glass to her forehead, her tears an endless waterfall down her face.

Hiccupping, Alice stumbled away from the cheering, from the light, from her kingdom's new independence, and ran into the darkness.

**-X-**

_"Hey, Alice!"_

_At the sound of her name, she turned away from the soothing sight of the waves, lapping over her toes before retreating back into the ocean. Lacing her hands behind her back, she stared at Edward, who was running towards her, a bottle in his hands. "Hey, Alice, have you ever heard of the legend in this town?" _

_She cocked her head to the side, curious, "legend? What legend? Tell me, Edward!" _

_Grinning, Edward grabbed her hand, and they began to walk down the shore of the beach, Alice swinging the hem of her white dress as they walked, "well, it all started when…"_

**-X-**

**If I could be reborn, I want you to know  
That I would like to be able to be with you again**

**-X-**

* * *

_Is this the end? Will I post another chapter? Probably. _

_Let me know what you thought please! Reviews make me happy, and let me know if you cried or not._


	2. Regret

_Yeahhh, soooo...I'm continuing it. _

_Of course I am. _

* * *

_"Edward…you really are serious about this aren't you? What if it doesn't even work?" _

_After watching his small bottle vanish under the waves, Edward turned to Alice, who was sitting on the shore. Smiling, he called out to her, "My Lady, do you want to try it?" he asked as he waded out of the water, rolling the cuffs of his pants back over his wet legs. Alice huffed indignantly and stood up, wiping off the sand that clung to her rear, "I don't need to do something so childish!" she cried out, walking towards him. He smiled happily in response, and the two of them stared at the water. _

_"Besides…" she finally said, looking over at him, grinning, "I have you, Edward! You can grant any wish that I have, right?" _

_Edward flushed at his sister's words, and he laughed softly, grabbing her hand, "really…? Well…you wished to go to the ocean, right?" Still laughing, he bent down and scooped Alice up into his arms, who squealed with surprise. _

_"Wish granted, Alice!" _

_With a great heave, he tossed Alice out of his arms, and she fell into the ocean with a cry of surprise. Sputtering, she stood up, shoving her sopping hair out of her eyes, which practically glowed with her fury. Baring her teeth, her hands turned into claws, "Edward," she growled, "I...am going…to kill you!" Letting out a shout of laughter, Edward sped down the shore, "Only if you can catch me first!" Alice quickly gave chase, screaming, catching up to him in seconds and throwing her arms around his waist, flinging both of them into the ocean._

_~X~_

_Regret_

_~X~_

_Six months later…_

"Thank you…"

"You're always going to the beach with that stuff, Miss Alice. Any reason why?"

Tired eyes stared at the shop owner, and Alice gave him a strained smile, pressing a finger against her lips, "I can't tell you, Jacob," she whispered, "it's a secret. Didn't you know?" He rolled his coffee colored eyes, and reached out, ruffling Alice's copper hair, "sure, sure, Alice. Okay."

Scrunching up her face, she tried to escape Jacob's hand, "Jake, cut it out!" she cried out, "C'mon, it's my birthday! Be nice to me!" Snickering, Jacob let Alice weave away from him, clutching her bottle to her chest, "Okay, Al. Go; go to your usual perch. Happy Birthday."

Alice turned back to look at him, her smile somewhat forced, "thanks, Jake." As soon as she turned away from him, the smile on her face fell away, and she looked up at the sky and the dark clouds that were rolling in.

A storm was coming; she would have to hurry. Tucking the bottle into her pocket, she picked up her dark skirts and ran to the beach.

_~X~_

_At a small harbor straying from a town_

_A girl stands still, alone_

_~X~_

Once she made it to the harbor, Alice bent over, catching her breath, hearing the soft rumble of thunder across the sky. Once she caught her breath, she straightened up, reaching into her pocket, and tenderly cradled the bottle between her two hands.

_~X~_

_There is a story that's been told so many times  
The secret that lies within the sea.  
__~X~_

_"…and so, because of that, it's been told through the years, that if you put a wish inside a bottle, and toss it out into the ocean, and the bottle doesn't break, then your wish will come true!" _

_Alice pursed her lips skeptically, and looked at Edward through her lashes, "Really…? Are you sure that'll work?" Edward grinned at her question, and moved his hand, which was hidden behind his back. In his hand was a small bottle, a piece of paper neatly folded inside, "I'm not sure that it'll work. But I wanna find out!" Alice's eyes lit up when she saw the bottle, "I wanna do it, too! I wanna make a wish!" _

_"I expected that"_

_Handing the bottle to Alice, he pulled a tiny piece of paper and a pen out of his pocket. "Here," he said, placing the paper in her hand, "write your wish on the paper, and we'll put it in the bottle!" _

_Poking her tongue through her teeth, Alice sat on the sand and stared at the blank paper, tapping the pen against her lip. What did she want to wish for? She had anything and everything she'd ever want…And then, she got an idea. Smiling, Alice took the pen, and wrote her wish on the paper in neat, tiny handwriting. _

_'_I wish that I can be with Edward for a very long time.'

_Folding the paper into a tiny square, she popped back onto her feet, and gave Edward the tiny piece of paper, "here!" she chirped, "but don't look at it, Edward!" _

_Rolling his eyes, Edward pulled the stopper out and placed the paper into the bottle, "I don't wanna look, anyway. Now, come on!" Taking Alice's hand again, he pulled both of them to the water, and wrapped her hand around the glass. Covering her hand with his own, he beamed at her, "ready? One…two…three!" With a cry, they tossed the bottle out to the shore, and watched as it slowly bobbed out into the deeper waters. Then, they closed their eyes and quietly whispered their wishes into the air._

_~X~_

_Floating away  
Is a little glass bottle  
That holds the wishes of two children  
It fades into the horizon  
Without a sound to be heard_

_~X~_

_You were always there for me and did anything I asked  
Even if it went against your own will.  
__~X~_

_When she heard the door to her bedroom click open, Alice whirled around, the curtain to her window falling back into place. It was Edward, his face pale and drawn, his eyes too large and too sad for his face. He reeked of burnt wood, and his face was wet with tears, the tracks they made streaking through the smoke and blood that was on his face. Alice was in front of him in two heartbeats, her hands reaching for his face, not caring that it was smeared with smoke and blood. _

_"Edward!" she gasped, "what's wrong? What happened? Are you hurt? Tell me!" _

_He stared at her, silent, the expression on his face indescribable._

_Then, he broke, his lips beginning to tremble, his red-rimmed eyes filling with fresh new tears. "P-people…" he said softly, "a-all…all those people…Alice…" _

_He made a noise similar to a wounded animal, and collapsed to his knees, fresh tears streaking down his face. Alice's eyes widened in her panic, and she fell next to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close. "Edward, Edward…it's okay, it's okay…don't-don't cry…" her voice cracked at the end, and tears started to fall down her face, too. _

_"But it hurts, Alice…it hurts…it hurts…"_

_~X~_

_I didn't realize that I was always so selfish_

_And hurt you for so long_

_~X~_

_Alice was walking. She didn't care where she went, as long as it was far, far away._

_Not caring if anyone could hear her, she wailed loudly, her bawling echoing around her, ringing in her ears. A quiet part of her was amazed that she could produce so many tears. Every time she thought she was all cried out, a simple thought sent her into painful hysterics all over again. Her throat was raw, her face tender and red from roughly wiping away her tears, but she didn't _care_, because _Edward was dead, Edward was gone, gone, gone, and it was all her fault.

_She couldn't walk anymore, and she fell to her knees, howling._

_"Hey, hey, what's all that racket?" Alice clapped her hands to her mouth, but her tears continued their steady flow. Wiping at her eyes, Alice looked up at the person who spoke to her, sniffling. It was a boy; he looked around fifteen, with long black hair tied into a ponytail. His eyes were the color of coffee, his skin something similar to burnt, faded copper. Hiccupping, Alice said nothing, staring at him with red, teary eyes. _

_The boy smiled slightly, and held out a hand for her, "now, why're you cryin' miss? What's your name? " Alice hiccupped again, and placed her hand in the boy's, letting him pull her up, "I-I'm Alice," she said, her voice rough and cracked from her mourning. _

_"Well, Miss Alice, my name's Jacob. Jacob Black. Mind telling my why you're caterwauling?" Her lip trembled, and her eyes filled with tears again as she thought of what happened mere hours ago, "I-I…I lost s-someone imp-important…" "Well, I can help you find him, if you want me to." Alice shook her head rapidly, her tears falling, "you can't help me find him, Jake," she said, her voice breaking, "he's…he's gone to a place where…where I can't go." _

_Jacob's eyes softened somewhat, and he squeezed her hand, his palm rough against hers "well, do you have a home?" Crying softly, Alice shook her head again, using her free hand to wipe her face, _

_"Well…come on. We'll go talk to my old man, and we'll see if we can get you a place to stay."_

_~X~_

_You, who had granted my every wish,  
Are no longer in this world.  
__~X~_

Alice placed her folded piece of paper into the bottle and pushed the stopper in; making sure the bottle was secure and closed tightly. Closing her eyes, Alice pressed her lips against the smooth glass of the bottle.

"_Happy Birthday to you,"_ she sang, "_Happy Birthday to you…Happy Birthday, Alice and Edward…Happy Birthday to you…"_ Pressing her lips together, she held the bottle in her right hand, swung her arm back, and threw it into the ocean. It bobbed in place for a few seconds, before slowly heading farther out into the water.

_~X~_

_The sea will express my gratitude  
It will express my only wish_

_~X~_

_'I've been doing this for so long…'_

For a few seconds, Alice did not look fourteen; she looked old and haggard, worn down by years of sorrow, even though her tragedy was mere months ago. Her eyes slid back closed, and she clasped her hands in front of her, silently saying the same wish that she had for months.

'_I wonder…does this even work, Edward?'_ Her hands shook, and tears burned behind her closed lids, '_my other wish didn't come true…you're not here…with me...'_

_~X~_

_Floating away  
Is a little glass wish  
That holds the regrets of a girl  
__~X~_

Thunder rumbled again, and a roaring hit her ears. Alice's eyes shot open, only to see a large wave rear over her head. The wave receded, and when it did, Alice wasn't there anymore.

_~X~_

_Who finally saw how she sinned  
However she couldn't repent_

_~X~_

_'So…this is it, huh…?'_

Alice was spinning, forced to be twisted and turned by the waves as she slowly sank into the water. Her lungs burned, and she opened her eyes slightly, staring at her hands, floating limply before her, and the dark water that surrounded her on all sides. '_Is this how it's really going to end…?'_

_~X~_

_Floating away  
Is a little glass bottle  
That holds the wishes of two children  
It fades into the horizon  
Without a sound to be heard_

_~X~_

Her mind drifted to her brother, as always; her lost twin, her missing other half.

'_Edward…'_ his name was a sigh in her mind, '_I'm sorry…I was staying alive, staying safe for you…I really, really was…I didn't mean to…'_ She felt arms slide around her, and her face was pressed into someone's chest.

"_You're so silly, Alice…"_

She stiffened, and her eyes shot open at the voice she knew so well; she could almost _see_ him smiling. "_You'll be fine…this isn't the end." _Alice thrashed, trying to move back, too see; was this real? _Was this really happening?_ The arm around her moved up, covering her eyes, and someone grabbed her right hand, _"Be good, Alice. Be safe." _

Alice struggled in her saviors arms; desperate to see his face, but the black spots in her vision overtook her. She had no more air. Her limbs were heavy…so heavy…

_'Edward…?'_

_"It would be nice if we could..."__  
_She passed out.

_~X~_

Her lungs burned. Her head was filled with clouds.

Alice groaned softly, and opened her eyes, raising a hand to cradle her throbbing head. The sky above her was a pale blue, dotted with fading storm clouds; the storm was passed. But…where was she now? Cringing at the bright sunlight, Alice slowly sat up, running a hand through her sopping hair. What she saw on the ring finger of her right hand made her freeze.

On her finger were two identical rings; a red rose on a thin gold band, surrounded by purple gems.

The rings that had classified them as royalty.

She was absolutely sure that she left these rings at home, tucked away in the jewelry box Jacob made for her on her dresser.

Yet they were here, on her finger. Does that mean…what happened in…?

_"You're so silly, Alice…this isn't the end…Be good…be safe…" _

Alice brought her shaking right hand up to her mouth, pressing the rings against her lips, "Oh, God…" she whispered, her voice cracking. Tears fell down her face, thick and fast and she sobbed and laughed at the same time.

Standing to her feet, she swiped at her tears, knowing they'd be replaced, "Edward, you're so _stupid!"_ she wailed at the ocean, "I said I wouldn't cry anymore! I've done enough crying! Th-this is all your f-f-fau-fau-_uwaaaaaaaaaaah!_" Pressing her hands to her eyes, she fell back to her knees, bawling.

_~X~_

_Floating away  
Is a little glass wish  
That holds the regrets of a girl  
~X~_

_"It would be nice if we could be siblings again…wouldn't it…?"_

"It _would_ be nice!" she cried, her face red from her tears, "I want us to be together again _so badly_."

Weeping, Alice spoke her wish out loud; the one thing she'd been praying for for months on end, "God…please…if only…if only we were reborn…"

_~X~_

_"If only we could be reborn..."_

_Then I'd want to be with you again._

_If only…_

_~X~_

* * *

_One final chapter left for this very, very, very short story._

_I hope you liked it! Review, pretty please~!_


	3. Birthday

_Da-dada-da-da-da-daaaa! Final chapter! That was fast, yeah? _

_The song used is Re-Birthday, just so you know~_

_Enjoy!_

_

* * *

_

_The thing about your life flashing behind your eyes was a complete lie._

_When he died, Edward's life did not flash in that short millisecond. The last thing he saw was the crowd, jeering at him, and Alice staring up at him, a never-ending stream of tears pouring down her face. Then, it was all gone. _

_But Alice's pain-filled face would stay with him for all eternity. _

_He did not see his life flash before him in those very last seconds; he was here, and then he was gone, like a candle that had been blown out. He felt nothing, he remembered nothing, he was just…nothing, falling, falling, falling forever._

**-X-**

**Birthday**

**-X-**

**When I woke up I was alone**

**The room was painted black**

-X-

When his back hit something solid, Edward's eyes shot open, his breath getting caught in his throat. He took a shuddering breath, pressing a hand against his forehead, and slowly sat up. Looking around, he squinted, trying to see something, anything at all. But the room was dark, unbearably so, and he shivered, wrapping his arms around his knees.

**-X-**

**I could see nothing, I could hear nothing**

**One person trembling in the darkness**

**-X-**

Sighing, Edward stood up, and looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of _something_, when a faint light appeared, and he looked up, spotting a…key…? Squinting, he stared; unable to believe what he was seeing; but it _was_ a key, the shape reminding him of the keys used in music boxes.

**-X-**

**In the ceiling is a large hole**

**Often, I've seen enormous clockwork inside**

**-X-**

Confused, Edward continued to stare at it, when sound rushed at him without mercy. Letting out a soft cry, he clapped his hands over his ears, as a voice that he hadn't heard in what felt like years echoed through his mind.

Even now, he could still feel her blood on his hands.

**-X-**

**From that, suddenly a reverberating,**

**Familiar, though eerie, voice speaks out**

**-X-**

_"You sinful boy…you are now at the other side…From now and all of eternity…you will never, ever get out of this room."_

Once her voice reached his ears, it was as though she'd unlocked a door in his mind. In that moment, a flood of memories overcame him, pulling him under, making him remember who he was-who he _is._

**-X-**

**In an instant, I recalled every memory**

**And the many sins that were stacked up**

**-X-**

_"No! I don't wanna go! I don't wanna! Uncle! Alice! Alice!" _He was five again, kicking and screaming as Aro took him away from his home, from Carlisle…from Alice.

_"Give him back mister, give him back!" _He saw Alice reaching for him, chasing after the carriage, screaming after him that he'd better come back, or she'd never share her desert with him again.

_"I've come back; just like I promised." _It was his thirteenth birthday, and he was finally coming back home, back to Alice. He'd brought her sunflowers, just like he promised, and she cried when he placed his ring in her hand.

_"That village…I want it gone. Completely." _Alice's eyes were like chips of ice as she sent a small, innocent village to its fiery fate. Edward remembered that, for a second, he hated his sister, and what she had become.

_"If I could've met you some other way, any other way…' 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…' _Blood, pain, agony, regret, regret, regret…Waves of guilt lapped at him as he ran away from the burning village and his what-could've-been.

_"These past months…have been the happiest of my life. I'm so glad I was able to see you again."_

_"Oh…it's tea-time."_

And the blade rushed down, and he was nothing once again.

**-X-**

**To notice, one by one, the reason it all ended**

**Shortly, I'll look back to those other times**

**-X-**

_"Edward, I'm going to kill you!" _

_"Only if you catch me, first!"_

_Edward's laughter echoed across the beach as he sped down the shore, Alice right on his tail, yelling for her vengeance. He didn't really know when he was so happy; he felt like he'd touch off the ground and fly up to the clouds, he was so happy. Still laughing, he slowed down and let Alice tackle him, wrapping her arms around his waist, and tossing both of them into the ocean. Edward held Alice close and squeezed her, his grin threatening to split his face apart. _

_He silently prayed that these days never, ever ended._

_Looking back, he wondered if he cursed their remaining time together, instead._

**-X-**

Edward's eyes shot back open, and he clutched at his head, lowering his arms again when he heard the jingling of chains. Looking at his arms, he saw that his wrists were encased in red handcuffs.

**-X-**

**I notice both of my arms that are fastened with red handcuffs**

**They are surely the color of blood that someone has shed**

**-X-**

As he stared at the handcuffs, images flashed rapidly behind his eyes.

Bella, lying on the ground, bleeding, the hilt of a dagger sticking out of her chest, her eyes wide open, staring at nothing…a blonde woman in red armor, leading a large crowd ahead, her blood-stained sword raised…hundreds of voices echoing through a burning village, asking _'why?'_, crying for help, the smell of blood filling the air…

Edward took a step back and stumbled, losing his footing, and he looked down, seeing that his ankles were sheathed in blue shackles.

**-X-**

**Both of my ankles are in blue chains**

**They are surely the color of someone's tears**

**-X-**

Just as soon as the visions went away, the noise hit him and he felt like he'd just been shot.

Screams and cries filled his ears; sobs that begged for help, for mercy, cries of defeat, of rage, of helplessness. They assaulted his mind, making him press his hands over his ears, screaming silently, begging for it all to just _stop_. Edward collapsed to the ground, pressing his forehead against his knees, '_it hurts, it hurts, it hurts…I'm sorry, I'm sorry, __**I'm sorry!**__' _

He was sure that if he had to deal with these voices for all eternity, he would surely go insane.

"Just stop…" he moaned, even though no sound came from his mouth, "please…I'll do anything…_anything_…_Just make it stop_."

As soon as he said that, a soft humming surrounded him, making the screams and cries in his mind slowly fade away, until all that was left was the humming. There were no words behind it, no definite tune; just a soft voice, fading in and out, singing a random tune. Letting his hands slide away from his ears, Edward laid on the ground, letting the nameless song cover him like a blanket.

With that song washing over him, it almost felt like he could fall asleep.

**-X-**

**I wonder who's singing that lullaby…?**

**-X-**

**It's not worth wondering how much time has flown by**

**Looking at the clockwork**

**-X-**

If this was how eternity was going to be, then Edward didn't want it.

Every hour that passed felt like an eon had gone by; day after day after day, he laid in this dark, dark room, staring at the key in the ceiling that never moved. An eternity of this would be painful for him; he didn't know how much more he could take without going mad. Suddenly, the soft humming appeared once again. Like clockwork, the song just appeared, a soft humming, soothing his nerves, before it vanished once again.

**-X-**

**From somewhere I hear approaching**

**A singing voice, solely just to heal me**

**One day, I became aware**

**Of the significance of that song**

**-X-**

As he listened to the mysterious song, Edward thought that maybe it wasn't so mysterious. The tune surprisingly sounded like…like _Happy Birthday. _Sitting up, he placed his chin on his knees and smiled as the notes bounced softly around the room. He almost felt like laughing; how could he forget such a simple song? As he closed his eyes, Edward suddenly found himself singing along, even though he had no voice. "_Happy Birthday to you…Happy Birthday to you…"_

**-X-**

**And it's a lullaby for me**

**So I'll add new words to it**

**-X-**

_It was getting hard to breathe. And she was tired…so, so tired…_

_Alice sighed softly, the tiny exhale expressing her exhaustion more than any words ever could. _

_When she felt someone grab her wrinkled hand, she slowly opened her eyes. Teary green eyes stared at her as her grandson, Alec, crawled into bed next to her. "Gramma," he sniffled, "are you gonna be okay?" Alice squeezed his tiny hand and smiled at him, "I'll be okay…" she whispered, "I'm just…I'm just very, very tired." Alec hiccupped and curled up against her side, pressing his face into her shoulder. Just then, her other grandchild and Alec's twin sister, Jane, shyly entered the room, and crawled into the bed as soon as she saw Alec. _

_Wedging herself between Alice and Alec, Jane spoke, "Gramma, can you tell us that story again? About the mean old princess?" The twins stared up at her, Alec still wiping away the tears in his eyes, and Alice smiled at them. "Of course I will," she said tenderly, raising a gnarly, bony hand to stroke their faces. _

_"Once upon a time, there was an evil, evil kingdom…"_

_And Alice told them the story; she went on, and on, until her voice disintegrated, and the twins left the room, believing she was asleep. _

_With a smile on her face, Alice sighed deeply, and slowly faded away._

**-X-**

**From the crevice of the clockwork**

**A small ball of light comes out of it**

**-X-**

A small glow appeared from above, and Edward looked up, just as a tiny ball of light fell from the crevice of the key. Eyes wide, he cradled the light in his hands, the chains jingling as he moved. As soon as the light made contact with his skin, a great wind began to blow, and the darkness that had smothered him for so long was replaced with a light the overwhelmed him. Above his head, the large key slowly began to turn, the motions jerky, before it finally reached a smooth rhythm.

**-X-**

**Surely…that…**

**"It is a message that you've given me"**

**-X-**

_"Sins are never unpardonable…"_

Edward squinted, and saw one little shaft, a tunnel of darkness that surrounded him, while the light and the wind surrounded him; it was like he was in the center of a hurricane. Standing in front of him was Bella, holding her hands behind her back.

Looking down at him, she smiled, _"But," _she whispered, pressing a finger to her lips, "_we will try to change these facts."_ Placing her hands behind her back once again, Bella stepped backwards into the light, her eyes never leaving his. Once she did, her bloodstained dress was ripped away, and, like a puff of smoke, Bella was gone.

**-X-**

**But, there's a word called water, and there's a word called evil**

**We will make those changes to the song**

**-X-**

As soon as Bella disappeared, the red handcuffs on his wrists crumbled away, and the red remains turning into a blonde woman, dressed in bloody armor. Leaning forward, she plucked him sharply on the forehead, "_After this," _she said, "_you will be reborn." _She smirked at him, and turned on her heel, walking into the light, her armor crumbling away like the handcuffs, then her skin, and she was gone. The blue chains on his ankles fell apart like broken glass, and Edward gasped as an arm wrapped around his neck.

Looking over his shoulder, he saw Emmett grinning down at him, and when he turned back around, Jasper was crouched in front of him.

Jasper stared at him, his face showing no expression at first, but then, the corners of his mouth slowly turned upward, and he reached up…and poked Edward in the forehead, which Emmett chuckled at softly.

"_Today,"_ they said, their voices echoing as one, "_is your new birthday."_

Standing up, they both gave him an identical two-fingered salute, before they walked into the light, and then they were gone. As soon as they were gone, the light swallowed him up, the winds whipping viciously at him, tearing at his clothing. Edward cried out, raising his arms to cover himself from the winds, but when he raised his arms, he saw that they were slowly crumbling away.

**-X-**

**Everything surrounding me is dyed white**

**-X-**

Edward's jaw dropped in shock as he stared at his disintegrating arms; the light was so bright…too bright…he wanted to cover his face, but…

_"Edward."_

His heart stuttered in shock as he heard the voice, _her_ voice, so like his, yet oh-so different. Cautious, Edward slowly opened his eyes…and there she was. She looked just as he'd remembered, but instead of a face wet with tears, it was graced with a peaceful, happy smile.

**-X-**

**Very soon…**

**-X-**

He felt his mouth curling into a wide smile, the tears stinging at his eyes, and he reached out for her hand. But, before he could even touch her, even though he was _so close_, the light drowned him, washed over him, overwhelmed him, and Alice vanished right before his eyes.

Edward faded away before he even had time to cry out with frustration.

**-X-**

_When Edward came back from hunting with Emmett, he thought that he would just go inside, say hello to everyone, and go to his bathroom to wash the blood and dirt on his skin. _

_He did not, on the other hand, think that he would return home, and find that all of his stuff was in the garage. _

_His hands hung limply at his sides as he stared at the neatly arranged furniture, confused. "What…" he sputtered, "what on _earth_…Why-why is my stuff in the _garage_?" Behind him, he heard Emmett snorting with laughter, and he could just _taste_ Rosalie's smug thoughts as well as he could hear them. _

_Carlisle chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his neck, his ochre eyes apologetic; if he was human, he would've flushed with chagrin, "well you see…Edward, while you and Emmett were gone, we-" _

_"They took it out for me. Because I told them to!" _

_As soon as he heard her voice, Edward's shoulders stiffened, and a strong feeling of déjà vu washed over him, making him feel dizzy. He could feel his long dead heart squeeze in his chest, and Edward slowly turned around, his eyes wide with outrage and…_surprise._ Standing in the doorway of the garage was a little waif of a woman, with jet black hair that spiked around her head, the ends of her hair touching the tip of her chin. Standing behind her was a man, his dirty-blonde hair tied in a ponytail at the base of his neck, his tired gold eyes looking at him warily._

_Edward stared at the scars that riddled the man's skin, felt the dizzying effect of déjà vu once again, and he hissed softly, taking a tiny step back. The waif woman said nothing, her eyes following him as he moved. _

_'_He still sounds the same…still kinda sounds like me…' A rose garden, a village, burning, a blade, high in the sky, a small bottle, drifting farther and farther away…

_The images startled him, soothed him, and filled him with an unidentifiable hope. The rest of the family stayed silent, as Edward stared down this new vampire, the look on his face scrutinizing, questioning. _

_"Who…are you?" he asked slowly, taking a hesitant step forward._

_She smiled, and in the back of Edward's mind, a mirror image appeared, her face looking more like his, eyes bright spring grass, her hair shining copper. _

_Her name shook him to his very core._

_"I'm Alice. And this is my mate, Jasper."_

_That name. _

That name_. _

_It stunned him, his racing thoughts stuttering to a complete halt. Alice smiled at him, and she raised her hand, her fingers drifting over two rings, hanging around her neck from a fine gold chain. They were identical rings, faded with age; a red rose on a thin gold band, surrounded by dulled purple gems. _

_Rings that classified someone as royalty._

_The random thought shocked him once again, and in Alice's mind, he saw a vision of her digging frantically, eyes wide as she chanted over and over, "_I need them, I need them, I need them, I need them…"

_Edward sighed softly, and the family around him tensed up slightly, waiting. "Alice…" he said quietly, overwhelmed, "Alice" he said again, and he was sure that if he was human, he'd be crying. _

_Alice smiled again, and Edward knew that she'd be crying, too, "Edward." _

_'_My wishes came true after all; you will be with me for a very, very long time.'

_And just like that, Alice and Jasper were taken into the fold, now part of the family. It was easy. So easy._

_**-X-**_

_"Edward, Edward! Play that song for me again! Please!"_

_Edward looked over at Alice and smiled at her, the smile that truly made them look alike. Closing his eyes, he turned to his piano and let his fingers drift across the keys, "okay, Alice," he said softly, "I'll play it. Of course I will." As soon as the last word left his mouth, he began to play, the music filling up the large house._

_**"Once upon a time, in another place**_

_**There was an evil kingdom no person dared to face**_

_**And reigning at the top was a girl so mean**_

_**A tiny little princess of only age thirteen!"**_

**-X-**

**Very soon, you and I are going to meet again**

**-X-**

_"Hey, hey, Bellaaaa! Lookit what I found!"_

_Eight-year old Bella's ears perked up at the sound of Jacob's voice, and she quickly ran over to her friend, tossing her shoes to the drier sand. "What is it, Jake?" she asked when she reached him, "what didja find?" _

_Dark eyes wide, Jacob showed her a small bottle with a peice of paper tucked inside, "it just washed up onto the shore!" he said excitedly, "let's open it! It could be a map left by pirates that could lead us to some treausre!" Bella's big eyes widened at the prospect, and she waited as Jacob pulled out the stopper with his teeth, shaking the peice of paper into his plump hand. When he opened the paper, his brows furrowed, as he tried to read the words on the paper._

_"Bella...I can't read it. You do it!" He shoved the paper under her nose, and she sighed in slight exasperation, snatching the paper out of Jacob's hand. Smoothing out the paper, she read the faded words on the fragile paper, "'I...I wish that we could be reborn...so we can be...siblings again.'" _

_After she read it, she looked up at Jacob, who looked back at her with an incredulous expression. "That's _it_?" he burst out, "just a stupid _wish_? Aw, Bells, that was a waste of time! Throe the dumb thing back and let's go back to the house. Maybe dad made lunch!" _

_His mind made up, Jacob turned on his heel and ran across the shore towards his house, leaving Bella standing there, the waves washing over her ankles. Scrunching up her face, she stared at the tiny peice of paper and the wish written upon it. Biting her lip, she folded the paper back up, and tucked it into the bottle. After pushing the stopper back in, she wiped leftover sand that was clinging to the bottle, and placed it into the pocket of her overalls. _

_"I'm sure that wish was important," she whispered, gently patting her pocket, "I hope that it came true."_

_Satisfied, she wiped away sand clinging to her hands, and ran to get her shoes, calling for Jacob so he wouldn't leave her behind._

**

* * *

**

_And it's done, whaaaat? Yeah! Happiness~!_

_Anyway, before I go...y'know that one part? With the 'word called water' part? Yeah. I don't get it, either. But...it was a part of the song. _

_Meh._

_Anywhosen-whoever read this, thanks so much! I'm so glad you liked it (if you did)_


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